Syrian Minister: US-Russian Plan a 'Victory'

The plan to remove Syria's chemical weapons is a "victory" that averts a war, says Minister Ali Haidar.

Arutz Sheva, 15/09/13 17:04

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

AFP file

The joint US-Russian plan to remove Syria's chemical weapons is a "victory" that averts a war, a Syrian minister said Sunday.

"On one hand, it helps the Syrians emerge from the crisis and on the other it has allowed for averting war against Syria...," Minister of State for National Reconciliation Ali Haidar told Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

"It's a victory for Syria that was achieved thanks to our Russian friends."

According to the deal, Syria is to hand over its stockpile of chemical weapons for monitoring by the international community.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad denied last week that the deal was agreed in order to avert a U.S. military strike on his regime.

"Syria is placing its chemical weapons under international control because of Russia. The US threats did not influence the decision," Russian news agency Interfax quoted Assad as saying during an interview with state-run channel Russia 24.